Art

“I cried because I didn’t have any shoes until I saw a child without any feet.” Guayasamin.

An Ecuadorian artist who said that “Art encompasses life. It is a way to love” Guayasamin uses his art to capture some of the awful things Ecuadorian people have suffered. Most of his work is very sad and can be quite dark but it gives a glimpse into some of the history of the country.

Well worth a look on his website:

http://www.guayasamin.org/

Photos

Cotapaxi Volcano

Where we were headed to. Wasn't a long walk but was really difficult. They served the worse hot chocolate ever, but it tasted so good to have a warm drink!

Kay and I made it!!

Cycling back down.

Broken hearted

You have broken my heart.

I can not stop thinking about you.

I love you even though I have met you only once.

I looked at you through tear filled eyes.

Others may have given up on you, not realising your potential but I see something in you.

You made me cry but you have helped me to realise what is important in life.

You have been someone who has begun to change something in my life.

You sparked something in me; a desire to change lives, beginning with you.

We have not spoken to each other. You did not even hold my hand.

You have not looked at me or even acknowledged me, but I still love you.

Poem inspired by a 4 year old boy with severe Autism who lives in an Ecuadorian shanty town. 

Taken for granted

I have realised that I write a lot about things that have made a big impact to me or about something where I have learnt a lot. Not all of my days here in Ecuador are that exciting! I wonder what you imagine my life to be like here!? Some days are very repetitive and not a lot happens! Some days are hard work and others are just fine! The majority of my time I am learning Spanish. Whether I have a conversation in the house or am sat in a lesson, that is pretty much the focus of my day!

There are many things here that initially were very different, have now become normal. For example, the light in my bedroom flickers. It flashes on and off ALL the time.

The light switches in my house have a little dull light below them. Very helpful I think because it can be hard to find the light switch when it is dark.

Very often there is a skill in getting hot water out of the shower. You have to practise the technique of listening carefully for when the electricity kicks in to give you hot water.

I have practised pouring milk from bags rather than plastic bottles.

I am getting better at walking past all the dogs in my neighbourhood, especially the big black flea ridden one next door, without them barking at me.

I have learnt to take my sunglasses with me all the time.

I realise the importance of ducking under the low material roofs, when going to a market.

I know that I really don’t like meat and could live without it, especially the meat hanging in the market in the Equator sun all day.

When walking past the security guards in the compound that I live, I always ensure that I am first to say hello to them, before they do. There is one in particular who talks so fast and I can never understand all he says! I think he says “hello”, “good morning” or “good afternoon”, “how are you?” “what’s you name” all at the same time and I always feel foolish for just responding to one part “fine thanks!” “thank you”, “Amy” “good morning!”

I know the best place to sit in the church to get the best of the internet Wi-Fi.

I have got used to not having a duvet and having only a blanket.

I know how best to shut my door, ever though it is not hung completely right and so it doesn’t shut!

I always close my eyes when I plug anything into a plug socket, so I don’t see the spark.

I know that however hard I try, I will never blend in!

It's the little things

A friend of mine here lost her SIM card from her phone. Someone ended up finding it in a school she works in. She was so happy, pleased and a bit emotional for finding it. She was overjoyed actually and said “It's the little things”. This is true. It is the little things which can make your day. These little things often show something of God’s blessing. I think I notice more of them here than I did in England. It is not that they weren’t there in England. I just didn’t look for them or notice them. Sometimes, I didn’t even really think that I needed God in some circumstances. For example, in England I would go on a car journey or get a bus without being worried. Here, I am aware for the need to pray for safety. I took a bus journey the other day with a big bag after coming back from a weekend away. I don’t like taking lots of things on the bus. I literally prayed for safety the whole way. I was ¾ of the way home when the bus stopped and on came a lady that I knew. It was amazing! This may not sound like a big thing and it feels silly writing it but it was such a blessing to me. You might think it is a coincidence that she took the same bus as me but the chances of me bumping into someone that I know, are slim. I do not know many people here! And, there are so many buses here, that she could have easily got on another bus! She is such a lovely lady and is a very encouraging, understanding person. I was blessed. I felt like God was saying, I will take care of you, let me show you.

I wonder what ways God has shown you that he is there, or will look after you?

“How great is the love the father has lavished on us, the we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3 v 1

I climbed a volcano

I reached an altitude of 5000m. I have never been at such high altitudes before. Trekking up was so strange. Your body just does not let you walk fast. You have to keep stopping. I didn’t feel too out of breath and neither did my legs ache very much, but I had to keep stopping. I was weak and vulnerable. I was not in control of the wind, the sun, the rain or anything in this situation. Such the opposite to how I often like to live my life; being in control. I like to decide what to do, where, when and how I get there. The ground was so ashy and so it was very difficult to get any grip. Just taking one step up and you would then slide down most of that step. It was hard work, but worth it. Walking up I felt like an explorer. I did not walk far, neither did I reach the summit but I accomplished a little. I enjoyed the walk up, in a funny sort of way! I couldn’t hear people talking, was not distracted by my music, Spanish homework, or anything else. I could only hear my footsteps and the wind whistling in my ears. The wind was strong and kept blowing the volcanic ash into my face. I kept glancing up and realising how huge this volcano is. It really magnified to me how big God is. I thought the wind was strong, the sun bright and the volcano so huge. I was so small in comparison. It put me in my place. God is so big and powerful, creating that amazing volcano, and yet he still cares for me! He is interested in us and wants us to gain a greater experience of him. I cycled back down to the bottom.

It still feels like I still have the ash in my hair, grit in my teeth and dust in my eyes. I am tired and exhausted but have experienced something more of God and for that, it was worth it!

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40 v 28-31.

Hope

You clambered over me and I picked you up with what felt like, just one finger. You weighed nothing. I felt every bone in your spine as I rubbed my hand over your back. You asked me for my water-bottle and drank it so fast as if you had not had a drink for days. You smiled at me and made me laugh. I hope I made you laugh. I hope it made you forget, for just those few minutes, where you live. Do you realise that not everyone lives in a house like yours? The house I have is made of bricks rather than wood. It has a tiled, insulated waterproof roof instead of a leaky tin roof. I can go to the toilet in private. I had toys to play with when I was a child. I had enough toys for all the children in your neighbourhood. The money I have in my pocket alone could feed your family for a week. I have enough money in my bank account to get you and your family out of this situation. You could have a better house. You could go to a good school, get an education and be a somebody rather than a nobody.

But… I alone can not take everyone from this place. My money alone wouldn’t make a lasting difference. I don’t know how I can help you all. I know you don’t need my tears of pity. What can I do? I can love you. I can help show you hope. There is hope. I know a God who loves you. You are important to him. You may have heard about him. You may even know him for yourself. Place your hope, trust and life into his hands and you will have an amazing eternal life with him. You will not have to live like this forever.

Written after visiting children living in the shanty town

“He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away”   Revelation 21 v 4

Broken hearted

You have broken my heart.

I can not stop thinking about you.

I love you even though I have met you only once.

I looked at you through tear filled eyes.

Others may have given up on you, not realising your potential but I see something in you.

You made me cry but you have helped me to realise what is important in life.

You have been someone who has begun to change something in my life.

You sparked something in me; a desire to change lives, beginning with you.

We have not spoken to each other. You did not even hold my hand.

You have not looked at me or even acknowledged me, but I still love you.

Poem inspired by a 4 year old boy with severe Autism who lives in an Ecuadorian shanty town. 

Thank you

I feel like there is so much to be thankful for. My mum and I used to love watching this REALLY cheesy film called Pollyanna. Pollyanna is a little girl who says that there is always something to be glad about! She has an amazing ability to be able to look on the bright side of things and find something to smile about. Initially, many people find Pollyanna annoying but it begins to have a positive affect on those people and they start to smile and be thankful.

I am thankful for what I have. Today I found out how many people read my blog. I am actually pleased that more than just my mum and one other person actually read it!

I am thankful that:

-       I had a really good education in England, for free. Yesterday was “Dia del Niño” (Day of the child) Statistics show that 11% of children here are malnourished and 8% work. Wow! This really shocked me. Children shouldn’t have to work. They should be enjoying their child hood and be in school, learning skills they will need later in life.

-       I can Skype friends and family. If you don’t yet have Skype, download it, for FREE!

-       I am now able to write a story in Spanish

-       We have a God who is with us all the time. The beautiful mountains that I see every day are amazing, however today was really cloudy and I couldn’t see them at all. This didn’t mean that they weren’t there. Same with God. I might not be always be able to feel that God is close, but I have faith and I do know that he is with me.

-       I have friends here in Ecuador

-       I can laugh at spelling mistakes on English clothing here. Favourites include “snnoppy” for “Snoopy”, “Buss” on the front of a Bus and “Mike” for “Nike”

One of the reasons I am writing this is because it is completely the opposite of what I wanted to write. I wanted to rant about things I find difficult, people I miss and frustrations when I have a difficult Spanish lesson. However, I know that there are times in life which are good and easy and other times which are really tough, like a cloudy day when the sun doesn’t shine. When I went through a really difficult time where I couldn’t find anything to smile about, I made a thankful poster. Each day I had to write one thing I was thankful for. One particularly difficult day I just couldn’t find anything that I was thankful for. All I could bring myself to write was “apples!” Sounds silly but it was the beginning of a turning point.

“Everyone has something to be glad about.” (Pollyanna)